Dozens of women from the Marshall Islands are traveling to the U.S. every year to adopt out their babies to U.S. families despite government efforts to crack down on this unique baby pipeline. We examine the people and practices that are continuing to perpetuate the problem.

University of Hawaii researchers tracked dozens of hungry tiger
sharks to a remote atoll in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine
National Monument this summer. Civil Beat photojournalist Alana
Eagle documents the expedition in this multimedia special report.

A Civil Beat Investigation: In Hawaii’s workers’ comp system, people with long-lasting injuries are often forced to battle doctors hand-picked by insurance companies to get treatment and disability payments.

Many papers and reporters have written and reported news on President Trump with a definite bias. So as an editor and independent paper what is your position on reporting with a bias or accepting negative statements without any attempt to verify? Your freedom of the press only works if the press is free of influence and reports without a bias and reports facts not rumors or hearsay.

Unfortunately the president is wrong but the press is also wrong and is part of the problem because of their faulty reporting.

— Peter Savio, Honolulu

A free press is necessary

Three cheers for your stance with the free press. Was it Thomas Jefferson who would rather have a free press and no government than government without a free press? I believe we need some government with a free press.

— Jim Nash, Kaneohe

Trump-hating media

None of the 200 media outlets backed Trump. This is a case of resistance which has dominated the political arena since Trump’s win in November 2016. The media hates Trump. This story does nothing to change that fact.

— Kent Davenport, Honolulu

We must support a free press

As a member of the profession that also seeks the truth and as a member of a civil rights organization, a nonprofit serving youth, a nonprofit serving children in need of a voice, and two nonprofit community groups, one of which does resist Trump’s rhetoric, I will be the first to encourage people to support a free press.

We must keep saying that real news is the lifeblood of our nation and the foundation of our democracy. Those who disagree and call it fake news are really undermining democracy and appear ready to cast aside the hard won freedoms that so many have died for.

Was it fake news that reported the flag on Iwo Jima? Was it fake news that reported the young African-Americans entering all white-schools, was it fake news that told us our President was shot, and was it fake news that showed the faces of a crest-fallen room of Democrats as they watched the election results in November of 2016? No, that was real news.

Keep doing what you do!

— Barbara L. Franklin, Esq., Honoka’a

Mail In Ballots

Civil Beat’s editorial “Forget The Pilot Program And Switch To All-Mail Voting Statewide” (Aug. 15) fails to consider that transportation is a major issue for many voters with disabilities. Having to travel long distances to a remote voting service center does not provide voters with disabilities with an opportunity to vote privately and independently that is equal to the opportunity provided voters without disabilities who are able to mark their ballots at home. Also, requiring disabled voters to travel long distances may well violate Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This is an issue that needs to be addressed by the Legislature when it considers statewide expansion of all-mail voting. In addition, I want to recognize the Office of Elections for its adoption of the Five Cedars electronic ballot for the trial program on Kauai. According to Lou Ann Blake of the National Federation of the Blind, the Five Cedars electronic ballot system “is accessible to voters who are blind, low vision, or have other print disabilities.”

— Peter L. Fritz, Honolulu

Money For Schools

This one needs careful consideration

Marcel Honore’s article today (“The Primary Is Over So What’s Ahead For The General Election?” Aug. 16) references Jim Shon at UH who says “there aren’t enough neutral sources to educate Hawaii voters on the complex constitutional issues.” That’s a shame as cost-effective awareness is in short supply nowadays.

For example, consider the possible constitutional amendment that would allow the Legislature to raise taxes on “investment real properties” in order to help fund public education. Where and how can the voting populace be alerted to the possible danger that this could be the greatest “bait and switch” ever perpetuated on the unsuspecting yet trusting public?

To wit, the voters will loyally and enthusiastically “vote for the keiki” and then the legislators, now flush with new found dollars, will simply use these new funds to cover the normal budget allotment for education and take those monies thus “saved’ and spend them on something else. Education spending will remain the same and HSTA will be duped.

— Douglas Kilpatrick, Honolulu

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